Wisconsin Right to Life

The news is not good: Wisconsin’s abortion numbers have increased by 3.7 percent, rising from 5,612 in 2016 to 5,818 in 2017.

206 more babies died in 2017 from abortion than in 2016. That means 206 lives lost, 206 moms who now live with the regret of abortion, and countless other lives touched by the loss of these 206 unique individuals.

While this news is discouraging, it’s not surprising. After Planned Parenthood opened a brand-new, state-of-the-art abortion clinic in 2017 we were all on high alert that abortion numbers would be rising.

There are three take-aways from the increase in Wisconsin’s abortion rate. We need to keep these items in mind as we plan our lifesaving work going forward:

Planned Parenthood is winning the war on messaging.

We need to know the facts about alternatives to abortion.

If you see something, say something.

Planned Parenthood is Winning the War on Messaging

What do I mean by this? Aren’t we out there sharing the truth about abortion and lifesaving alternatives?

Yes, we are out there sharing the message of alternatives to abortion, what abortion is, and what a woman can do if she is facing a crisis pregnancy. Unfortunately, our ability to reach our target audience is limited, at best. We don’t have the mainstream media sharing the great work that local pregnancy centers are doing. No news outlets promote the fact that Wisconsin Right to Life works with pregnancy resource centers to provide grants which help women facing immediate financial crisis. They don’t show how college groups are working to remove obstacles so mom or dad can go to college and raise their baby at the same time. There are no inspiring feature stories on women climbing the corporate ladder at work while raising unexpected babies. No, you won’t see the possibilities of life in mainstream media.

The abortion industry has a built-in megaphone from the mainstream media — they are the darling of most news outlets and reporters. The mainstream media continuously sells the falsehood that anti-abortion groups are just out to restrict access to abortion and they only care about babies before they are born. Sure, that sells abortions, but it certainly doesn’t sell the truth to the average person watching or listening.

Planned Parenthood has spent years perfecting the message that they are there when a person needs healthcare. We hear over and over again that if Planned Parenthood is not there to provide services, thousands of people will go without cancer screenings, STD testing, family planning, and so much more.

The truth is, there are more federally-qualified health care centers across our state than Planned Parenthood clinics. And, many of them are now offering services which include STD testing, family planning options, as well as parenting classes.

In addition, Planned Parenthood has millions of dollars to spend on the best public relations firms, advertising agencies, and others who have helped perfect their branding and messaging. Their marketing is a well-oiled machine. Their slick messaging is a spider’s web of misrepresentations that snare the uninformed.

For us to keep fighting Planned Parenthood and their messaging, we need you. We need you to share our information. We need you to talk about life-affirming abortion alternatives. We need you to debunk the myths Planned Parenthood continues to share about alternative healthcare providers. And we need your financial support so we can push our message out to more platforms.

We Need to Know the Facts About Alternatives to Abortion

A second point you all need to know about are alternatives to abortion. Do you know where to go to find information for pregnancy centers in your area?

If not, you need to learn about 123GiveLife.com.

Not familiar with this site? Go there and see for yourself what it is! I’ll give you a preview: visitors to the site simply type in their zip code and all the surrounding pregnancy resource centers appear on their phone, tablet, or desktop computer. Wisconsin Right to Life maintains and promotes this site through our Veritas Society media campaign.

Women facing a crisis pregnancy need immediate access to abortion alternatives from an easy-to-find source. 123GiveLife.com provides this! Over the years, Wisconsin Right to Life has maintained a database of pregnancy resource centers across the state. This database is updated on a regular basis so that when a woman finds herself in need, she can easily find the resources and answers she is searching for.

Through the Veritas Society, we produce advertisements that are on digital media promoting abortion alternatives, in addition to purchasing Google AdWords to push women to these alternatives.

Can you imagine being in a moment of crisis then finding the help you desperately need on the internet? The questions is, though, what’s going to show up when you do a Google search? Google AdWords ensure that women can find life-affirming choices rather than just abortion clinics.

We need you to be the person who can share this information with your friends, with other parents who might have teenagers that find themselves pregnant, with members of your church, and with anyone else who might need it! Tell everyone you know about 123GiveLife.com!

You also need to know where to go to get truthful information on the development of an unborn baby, what happens during an abortion procedure, and what happens after an abortion. All of this information can be found at our website and at pregnancy resource centers. Guess where you won’t find it? That’s right, at an abortion clinic. Our website, of course, is www.wrtl.org.

If You See Something, Say Something

I understand you might think that statement is limited to another cause of action, but it certainly applies here. Over the last couple years my concern has grown that, as pro-lifers, we are not aware of what is happening in our own communities.

Two examples: The first is the building of an $8 million Planned Parenthood clinic in Milwaukee’s Third Ward. I admit, I work in Milwaukee, yet I didn’t know this clinic was being built until I read the article on JSOnline that is was set to open. How could we have missed this? How was it that no one knew about a purchase of property, building permits being pulled, fundraising happening, different activity taking place at Planned Parenthood’s other location? Were our heads buried in the sand? If you see something, say something. Do not ever assume that people know about what is happening around you.

The second is the re-opening of Planned Parenthood in Sheboygan. They are back open for business and I’m fairly certain they are making a lot of money there. This clinic provides RU-486 abortions. These are quick procedures, which means more money in the pocket of Planned Parenthood. Unless there is a complication with the RU-486 abortion there is no surgery, so not a lot of time needs to be spent with clients. With RU-486, women complete their abortions at home and must deal with their pain and blood as well as the bodies of their dead babies on their own. This is no problem for Planned Parenthood – they can profit from their killing quickly and without much bother.

Again, how did we miss this Planned Parenthood clinic opening in Sheboygan? Did someone see a new tenant moving in a building? Did someone see a permit being pulled for occupancy? I realize that we aren’t all in a position to see these things, but if you are, tell someone. Did you overhear a conversation at your local coffee shop about an abortion clinic opening? If you did, share it! Call me; this is what I need to hear. Call your local group and devise a plan to share the news. Even when it is bad news, we need to share it. We need to share the news because it is our job to ensure that all lives are protected.

The increase in abortion numbers only exemplifies the need for our work to continue. We need to be the voice for those who have no voice, but we also need to be the voice of truth. Join with us in countering the ever-powerful abortion industry in messaging, knowing about alternatives to abortion, and being on the front lines of knowing what is happening in our communities.

For their lives, our work continues!

The Wisconsin Right to Life Education Fund is a 501(c)3 entity and all gifts are fully-tax deductible.

“As disappointed as I am in seeing an increase in abortion numbers in Wisconsin, it really didn’t come as a surprise,” shared Heather Weininger, Executive Director of Wisconsin Right to Life.

“After a brand-new, state-of-the-art abortion clinic opened in Milwaukee’s trendy Third Ward we should have all been on high alert that abortions were soon to be on the upward climb.

“For too many years, Planned Parenthood was seeing a decline in their revenue and they were ready at every turn to reverse the downturn in profits. For years we have heard Planned Parenthood saying the pro-life movement is limiting access to abortion. It looks like the abortion industry has gotten what it wanted: More unborn babies being murdered, and more women who will suffer the devastating consequences of abortion.

“Wisconsin Right to Life will keep working to ensure women aren’t coerced into abortions. We will make sure women know that there are life-affirming alternatives to abortion. We will work with pregnancy resource centers across the state to ensure women in crisis have help available to them, and we will continue to work on passing protective, pro-life legislation that ensures women know the truth about abortion and have real choices for themselves as well as their children.

“The news likely won’t be any better when the 2018 abortion numbers come in. Planned Parenthood is now open in Sheboygan, where their main focus is RU-486 abortions. While your taxpayer dollars might not be paying directly for these abortions, they are being used to promote Planned Parenthood to women and promote the falsehood that abortion is their only alternative.”

For 50 years, Wisconsin Right to Life has been the pro-life leader in our state. We continue to promote the truth about life and the many alternatives to abortion available in Wisconsin.

#GivingTuesday may almost be over, but your opportunity to build Wisconsin for life is not!

“You didn’t just save my baby’s life, you saved my life, too!” The words of Kayla (pictured above), one of the many recipients of a lifesaving WRTL Emergency Grant. October, 2018

You can help support the work of the Wisconsin Right to Life Education Fund through #GivingTuesday until the end of this week.

Your gifts will go far in building a culture of life in our state. They will save babies. They will teach teens the truth about abortion and the life issues. They will equip pro-life students to bring the message of life to colleges and universities which are often bastions of abortion advocacy.

L!fe Summer Camp teens learn about their role in the legislative process from WRTL Executive Director, Heather Weininger, as well as elected officials. August, 2018

Because of the generosity of friends like you, the Wisconsin Right to Life Education Fund has impacted countless lives throughout Wisconsin. Because of you, we have:

Helped dozens of at-risk women choose life for their babies through our Emergency Grant Program;

Expanded the number of L!fe on Campus college groups from 13 to 18 in 2018, allowing us to reach even more students with the truth of life;

Brought pro-life experts such as apologist Scott Klusendorf to teach teens the life issues as well as the skills of logic, rhetoric, and debate at our L!fe Summer Camp;

And more!

Your gifts to the Wisconsin Right to Life Education Fund will protect the most vulnerable members of our society and make you our partner in Building Wisconsin for Life!

L!fe on Campus College Training Weekend. October, 2018

The Wisconsin Right to Life Education Fund is a 501(c)3 entity and your gifts are fully tax-deductible.

Each and every person has a unique talent to share, love to give as well as receive, and an impact to make on the world.

You and I also know there are some who think that life is disposable. Some deny the humanity of the unborn. Some don’t believe that those living with disabilities or serious illness have worthwhile lives. Many have been deceived into believing that death is an acceptable solution to human problems.

Baby Antoine was saved by a Wisconsin Right to Life Emergency Grant. All the work of Wisconsin Right to Life depends on your generous donations.

Wisconsin Right to Life works to create a society in which every person’s right to life is secure. Our vision is to touch hearts and minds so that all will cherish human life. Our goal is to Build Wisconsin for Life!

Your gifts will help us teach teens and college students the truth about life as well as give them the skills and resources to share these truths with their peers.

Every life deserves to be cherished. Every life is invaluable. That is why the number 266 is so amazing.

It costs Wisconsin Right to Life only $266 to save one precious, priceless life!

$266. That’s only $22.16 a month – less than what many of us spend on coffee each month and less than a family meal at many fast-food restaurants. Your #GivingTuesday gifts will help the Wisconsin Right to Life Education Fund save lives throughout Wisconsin with Emergency Grants. It will help us save lives by teaching teens and college students the truth about life to counter the misinformation they receive daily from abortion advocates.

Every gift will help. As you think about your donations today, though, please consider a gift to Wisconsin Right to Life of $266, or only $22.16 a month, to save one, precious life. Your generosity will help Build Wisconsin for Life in 2019. It will help make the deadly practices of abortion, euthanasia, and infanticide unacceptable solutions to human problems.

Your gifts to Wisconsin Right to Life will save lives — Thank you for your generosity as we Build Wisconsin for Life!

The Wisconsin Right to Life Education Fund is a 501(c)3 entity and your gifts are fully tax-deductible.

It was 2017. Kayla was pregnant. Without a job and without money, she had no idea how she would care for her unborn child. Kayla had nowhere to live, no access to medical care, and no hope.

All she wanted was a safe home for her baby, but it seemed impossible.

One of Kayla’s friends directed her to a pregnancy resource center. Not only did Kayla receive the medical care she needed, she learned about the Wisconsin Right to Life Emergency Grant program.

Because of the generosity of friends like you, Wisconsin Right to Life’s Emergency Grant program was able to pay the security deposit on a safe, warm place for Kayla and her baby boy to live.

Kayla told us:

Kayla and her baby boy were saved through your generosity and a Wisconsin Right to Life Emergency Grant.

“Wisconsin Right to Life didn’t just save my baby’s life, you saved my life, too. I don’t have the words to thank you. You protect unborn babies. You protect their moms. You protect newborns. You protect children. You protect life!”

Kayla is only one of the dozens of women who have been able to choose life for their unborn children because of a Wisconsin Right to Life Emergency Grant.

Your generous donations are the only way we are able to award these lifesaving grants.

We know that over 70% of women who have abortions feel coerced or pressured by outside circumstances to end their child’s life. Many times, it is immediate financial crisis which leads women to think that abortion is their only option.

Many times, it is only a couple of hundred dollars that determines whether a baby lives or dies.

The Wisconsin Right to Life Emergency Grant program exists to alleviate these financial crises. We work with pregnancy resource centers to provide payment directly to property managers, utility companies, and other creditors so women can choose life.

Every Emergency Grant awarded represents a life saved and a mother spared a lifetime of regret!

Your generosity on #GivingTuesday will help fund Wisconsin Right to Life’s Emergency Grant program in 2019.

Please give generously so we never have to say, “No” to a woman considering abortion because of a financial crisis.

#Giving Tuesday 2018 will take place on Tuesday, November 27th. This is your opportunity to help Wisconsin Right to Life Build Wisconsin for Life in 2019!

#GivingTuesday is a day set aside to help non-profit organizations as they plan for the coming year. It was created to offset the shopping heydays of Black Friday and Cyber Monday as a way for all of us to focus on helping others.

The Wisconsin Right to Life Education Fund relies heavily on #GivingTuesday to fund our many programs, including Emergency Grants. You don’t have to wait until #GivingTuesday to give, though! We are accepting #GivingTuesday gifts throughout the month of November.

Wisconsin Right to Life receives Emergency Grant requests on a regular basis. We are relying on your generosity to never have to say, “No” to a woman in need!

Thank you for supporting the Wisconsin Right to Life Education Fund and Emergency Grants on #GivingTuesday!

The Wisconsin Right to Life Education Fund is a 501(c)3 entity and your gifts are fully tax-deductible.

November 27th is coming and, along with it, your opportunity to help WRTL Build Wisconsin for Life in 2019!

#GivingTuesday is a day set aside for you to give to your favorite non-profit organizations. It was created to offset the shopping heydays of Black Friday and Cyber Monday.

The Wisconsin Right to Life Education Fund relies heavily on #GivingTuesday to fund our many programs. Our L!fe on Campus college groups benefit tremendously from #GivingTuesday!

L!fe on Campus

L!fe on Campus students from UW-Whitewater at a campus tabling event.

It’s no secret that our college campuses are strongholds for pro-abortion activism. Knowing there was a need for the pro-life message to be heard at colleges and universities, Wisconsin Right to Life established pro-life groups on college campuses around Wisconsin years before any other group. Now appropriately called L!fe on Campus, these groups are bringing the truth about life to colleges and universities throughout our state and giving pro-life students a voice.

Because of your generosity during 2018, L!fe on Campus groups have been able to:

Direct students with unplanned pregnancies to local pregnancy resource centers;

Offer pro-life education on campus through “tabling” events;

Raise awareness with displays like Cemetery of the Innocents;

Educate through fun events such as Pro-Life Cupcake Day;

Bring pro-life speakers to campus;

Hold events such as Pro-Life Solidarity Days;

Offer camaraderie and support to pro-life students who often feel alone.

Pro-life displays like this Cemetery of the Innocents on Bascom Hill at UW-Madison are one of the many ways L!fe on Campus students raise awareness about abortion.

Marquette L!fe on Campus member, Justus, said, “L!fe on Campus is great because it provides community to what is the minority on campuses – pro-lifers.”

In order to ensure that L!fe on Campus students are equipped to be pro-life leaders at their colleges and universities, the Wisconsin Right to Life Education Fund holds a college training weekend each fall. This is an event our L!fe on Campus students love!

L!fe on Campus students (as well as some members of the WRTL staff) at the 2018 L!fe on Campus College Training.

Julio from UW Madison’s L!fe on Campus group said: “The college training is incredibly helpful. We’ve learned lots of useful things like how to communicate about this issue in a compassionate way. The support we receive from Wisconsin Right to Life helps us to be more effective.”

Your gifts are making a difference at colleges and universities across Wisconsin and are giving pro-life students a voice!

And there’s great news: Because of your generosity to L!fe on Campus and the Wisconsin Right to Life Education Fund, the number of L!fe on Campus groups expanded from 13 to 18 groups during 2018!

Your gifts to Wisconsin Right to Life on #GivingTuesday will help us support all of our Education programs, including all of our L!fe on Campus groups. And you don’t have to wait until #GivingTuesday, either. You can give today!

Thanks so much for your support of the Wisconsin Right to Life Education Fund through #GivingTuesday!

The Wisconsin Right to Life Education Fund is a 501(c)3 entity and your gifts are fully tax-deductible.

It took me a while to digest the results of last Tuesday and compile my thoughts that I wanted to share with others.

On Tuesday, November 6th the pro-life movement was dealt a set-back, but, fortunately, it was not an end-of-the world scenario.

I have to admit, this one was quite personal to me. In 2010, my husband was elected to his first term in the Wisconsin State Assembly. It was a time when we knew there were going to be many bold changes coming our way. And, big bold changes did come to Wisconsin. Also during this time, we were able to pass even more protections for the unborn.

When I first heard that our great pro-life Governor Scott Walker was in a tight race, I thought to myself how could people of the State of Wisconsin want to return to a time of deficits while taxpayer dollars were being used to fund abortions? How could people in Wisconsin want someone in office who doesn’t protect the most vulnerable?

Well, now we are faced with a time when we will not have a Governor who will sign into law pro-life legislation, nor will we have a Lt. Governor who speaks on behalf of the unborn, or and an Attorney General who will stand up for life in the courts. Let’s be real, this is a tough realization, but one that we need to get past in order to move forward.

While we are now going to have four years of someone who does not believe in the sanctity of life, it is reassuring to know that we have the State Senate and Assembly in control of pro-life legislators. I see these coming four years as a time during which we will educate Wisconsinites on the devastation caused by abortion and the need to protect the most vulnerable at all stages of life.

Our work at Wisconsin Right to Life will not change. We will continue to introduce legislation to protect the unborn, we will continue to educate the youth in our state about life, we will continue to work to change hearts and minds to favor life.

We cannot let one election cycle hold us down for too long. There is far too much work to be done to protect unborn babies and all vulnerable individuals from the moment of conception until natural death. Stay tuned to learn the specifics of what we will be working on in 2019.

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About Wisconsin Right to Life

Wisconsin Right to Life believes that each human life is inherently valuable from fertilization to natural death. Our mission is: "To make euthanasia, infanticide, abortion and destruction of human embryos socially, ethically and legally unacceptable solutions to human problems and to promote positive alternatives to each of these acts."